Royal Birkdale’s Greg Holmes secured his second Formby Hare victory in four years, putting in a hugely-impressive effort at the testing links venue.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
Holmes, who won the Prestbury Open last year, finished four clear of Isle of Man golfer Daryl Callister thanks to rounds of 69 (-3) and 70.
The 22-year-old, who reached the last 32 of the Amateur Championship in 2021, has enjoyed a strong start to the season and is fourth in the overall Apeiron Northern Order of Merit standings. He finished sixth in the Caldy Quart and second in the Henriques Trophy at Hesketh and is very happy with the way he is striking the ball.
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“That said I knew going in anything under par at this course was going to have a good chance so to finish on five under was really pleasing.”
Holmes’s excellent wedge play played a critical part in his strong first round as he birdied the final three holes to take a share of the lead at halfway – Formby’s George Hanson also opened with a 69.
At 16 and 17 the Birkdale player knocked his approach into five feet but then his putter delivered in style at the last, Holmes rolling in a 40-footer to get to three under.
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After lunch he was rocked by a double bogey opening but it would prove to be his only blemish in the second round.
He birdied three, 13 and 14 but the highlight of the day came at the par three tenth where he a stuck a 225-yard five iron to three feet.
With Hanson dropping back after closing 78, Castletown’s Callister grabbed second ahead of home favourite Tom Hughes, who earlier this month set a new course record. He took third third on countback from Ormskirk’s Andrew Haswell, who would go on to claim the Lancashire Links Trophy the following day at Southport and Ainsdale.